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President Donald Trump and his administration’s capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, has gone down as one of the most controversial events during his term.
The unprecedented operation immediately sparked outrage across Washington, with lawmakers from both parties questioning its legality and strategic purpose.
- Trump's capture of Venezuelan President Maduro sparked widespread controversy and bipartisan criticism over legality and motives.
- AOC's viral X post argued the capture is about oil and regime change, not drugs, highlighting Trump's pardon of a top narco trafficker.
- Democrats like Bernie Sanders and Hakeem Jeffries condemned the operation as illegal military action lacking Congressional approval.
- Some Republicans, including Mike Johnson and Don Bacon, praised the operation as lawful and beneficial for American and Venezuelan futures.
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s post is going especially viral, amassing over 45 million views on X at the time of writing.
AOC’s X post criticizing Trump’s capture of Maduro has gone viral
Image credits: Andres Kudacki/Getty Images
In the hours following the raid, members of Congress from both parties began raising alarms over what many described as a constitutional breach. Bernie Sanders wrote on X, “President Trump does not have the constitutional authority to attack another country.”
“When 60% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck, he should focus on the crises at home, end his illegal military adventurism and stop trying to ‘run’ Venezuela for Big Oil,” Sanders continued.
Democrat Representative Eric Swalwell echoed that frustration, saying, “When I talk to Californians you know what ranks lowest on their priorities? Illegally going to war with Venezuela. Just lower the damn prices.”
When I talk to Californians you know what ranks lowest on their priorities?
Illegally going to war with Venezuela.
Just lower the damn prices.
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) January 3, 2026
Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego went further, calling the situation the “second unjustified war” in Trump’s life.
“This war is illegal,” Gallego said. “It’s embarrassing that we went from the world cop to the world bully in less than one year. There is no reason for us to be at war with Venezuela.”
Among the Republican commentators was Rep. Thomas Massie, who also criticized the operation.
“The Constitution does not permit the executive branch to unilaterally commit an act of war against a sovereign nation that hasn’t attacked the United States,” Massie wrote in a statement.
Image credits: Heather Diehl/Getty Images
“Congress has the sole power to declare war against Venezuela. Congress must decide such matters according to our Constitution.”
While much of the initial backlash focused on the legality of the operation, others questioned the administration’s underlying motivation for targeting Maduro now. That argument was amplified by AOC.
“It’s not about drugs. If it was, Trump wouldn’t have pardoned one of the largest narco traffickers in the world last month,” she wrote on X, referring to former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who was sentenced in the U.S. to 45 years in prison on drug-trafficking charges.
She continued, “It’s about oil and regime change. And they need a trial now to pretend that it isn’t. Especially to distract from Epstein + skyrocketing healthcare costs.”
It’s not about drugs. If it was, Trump wouldn’t have pardoned one of the largest narco traffickers in the world last month.
It’s about oil and regime change.
And they need a trial now to pretend that it isn’t. Especially to distract from Epstein + skyrocketing healthcare costs.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 3, 2026
Her post ignited a fiery debate online. “AOC is 100% correct, and it is refreshing to hear a major politician tell the truth so bluntly,” wrote David Griscom, a journalist at socialist quarterly Jacobin magazine. Another user criticized AOC, saying, “Maduro is a dictator. Now you’re defending dictators?”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries hammered Trump, calling the raid an “unprecedented” exercise lacking both legal authorization and practical justification.
Speaking to reporters in the Capitol, Jeffries said the capture of Maduro was not a “law enforcement” operation, as Trump officials have argued, but called it an “unprecedented military action.”
Hakeem Jeffries called the raid an ‘unprecedented military action’
Jeffries added that he thinks Maduro is “a bad guy” and a “dictator.”
“We want a bright future for the Venezuelan people. It’s a great country that’s been decimated by the Maduro regime. Nobody is disputing that,” Jeffries said.
“But no one’s also disputing the fact that the overwhelming majority of Americans do not support another failed foreign war, putting our men and women in uniform at risk,” he continued.
Even Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican ally who had a falling-out with Trump, joked, “We are ‘running’ Venezuela now. America First!!!”
We are “running”Venezuela now. 🤦♀️
America First!!! 🇺🇸
— Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) January 3, 2026
Democratic Rep. Madeleine Dean said on CNN, “The President literally dropped into a sovereign nation, executed on this warrant, pulled the leader out with no plan for the next day.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized the administration further, saying, “Now he’s [Trump] doubling down on this reckless policy. He’s thinking about Colombia and thinking about Cuba and Greenland. I mean, the average American is going to say, ‘What is going on in the White House?’”
Image credits: Truth Social via Getty Images
Many lawmakers have also spoken out in support of the operation. One Democratic leader broke from his party to praise it. “This wasn’t a war. This wasn’t boots on grounds and in that kind of a way. This was surgical and very efficient. And I want to celebrate our military,” said Sen. John Fetterman.
Speaker Mike Johnson called it a “decisive and justified operation that will protect American lives.”
I have spoken in the last several hours with @SecRubio and @SecWar Hegseth, and the nation will hear from @POTUS in his address at 11am ET.
Today’s military action in Venezuela was a decisive and justified operation that will protect American lives.
Nicolas Maduro is…
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) January 3, 2026
“Nicolas Maduro is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans after years of trafficking illegal drugs and violent cartel members into our country — crimes for which he’s been properly indicted in U.S. courts and an arrest warrant duly issued — and today he learned what accountability looks like,” Johnson wrote on X.
“President Trump is putting American lives first, succeeding where others have failed, and under his leadership the United States will no longer allow criminal regimes to profit from wreaking havoc and destruction on our country.”
Mike Johnson defended the operation as ‘decisive and justified’
Maduro and his predecessor took Venezuela from the richest to the poorest country in South America, and destroyed its democracy. The operations last night are great for the future of Venezuelans and the region. My main concern is now Russia will use this to justify their illegal…
— Rep. Don Bacon 🇺🇸✈️🏍️⭐️🎖️ (@RepDonBacon) January 3, 2026
Republican House member Don Bacon added that he was concerned “Russia will use this to justify their illegal and barbaric military actions against Ukraine.”
“Maduro and his predecessor took Venezuela from the richest to the poorest country in South America, and destroyed its democracy. The operations last night are great for the future of Venezuelans and the region,” he said.
“This was not an act of war or an invasion. This was the lawful apprehension of a fugitive from justice,” said Republican Rep. Laurel Lee on Fox News.
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